For The Children
by Misty-Kid
Summary: The ER team are called out to the site of a crash but what happens when a doctor becomes a patient?
1. Part One

TITLE: For The Children  
  
AUTHOR: Misty Kid  
  
EMAIL: mistykid03@yahoo.com  
  
CATEGORY: Cast - main character DM  
  
RATING: PG  
  
SPOILERS: Occurs before Dave's departure  
  
ARCHIVE: Yes please  
  
DISCLAIMER: The people in this story don't belong to me they belong to NBC, and Warner Brothers, and all of the other people who own the rights to ER.  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I am new to this fan fiction thing so please be kind; any feedback would be very much appreciated. Also I would just like to add that I am Scottish so several spellings and terms may be different for any American etc readers.  
  
SUMMARY: The ER team are called out to the site of a crash but what happens when a doctor becomes a patient?  
  
"Listen up everyone." Kerry called after slamming the phone down. "Everyone I need your attention." She repeated.  
  
The staff crowded round admit interested on what was going on Mark, Carter and Luka gathered by the board but as usual Dave was over pestering Jing- Mei.  
  
"There's been a train crash across town and." she tailed off noticing Dave and Jing-Mei lost in conversation at the other side of the room.  
  
"Dr. Malucci do you have something more interesting to say?" she questioned like a scolding school teacher.  
  
"Umm no. Sorry Chief" came Dave's defeated reply, the others gave him disgusted looks and turned their attention back Kerry.  
  
"Thank You. Now where was I oh yes the train has crashed and we have been asked to send out extra doctors to help the paramedics."  
  
Kerry looked around the sea of faces none of them seem particularly enthusiastic at the news, probably because it was nearing the end of a shift; most of them were looking forward to going home. Then she spotted Dave's face lit up at the prospect of an adventure, since the incident with the ambulance and construction site worker she had never allowed him to go out to an accident scene. She pondered on this for a few seconds more before jolting back to reality as Mark called her name.  
  
"So who you sending out Kerry?"  
  
"You go Luka and Carter." She paused, Dave's face dropped as she called out the two doctors names he began to turn away. "Malucci you go too, it'll be good experience for you."  
  
"YES!! I mean thanks a lot Chief."  
  
"Just don't screw up and stay with Carter or Luka at all times understand?"  
  
"Yip you can count on me Chief."  
  
"Oh great we get stuck with that jerk all day. All I can say is that he better not get my way." Carter muttered under his breath to Mark as Dave hurried off to help Luka collect the necessary equipment.  
  
"Don't be too hard on him Carter he's only learning and at least he's enthusiastic. In some ways he reminds me of you when you where a student." Mark commented lost in thought.  
  
Carter shot him a look, but he knew deep down Mark was right, he would have been just as eager to go as Dave was now when he first arrived at County.  
  
He trundled off in the direction of the ambulance bay to await Luka and Dave's return with the supplies. If he could he would make sure Luka took Dave to treat the minor injuries so that he could be free to treat any major cases.  
  
He had not been sitting for more than two minutes when Dave's big child like grin appeared round the ambulance door.  
  
"Hey Carter I'm so glad the Chief let me work this one. Maybe if I do well I can come out a lot more." Dave rambled on in his usual way but his voice was faster and higher pitched as the adrenaline pumped through his veins.  
  
"God forbid" Carter mumbled, Luka glared at him as if to scold him for putting Dave down.  
  
"What you say Carter?" Dave had been too absorbed in his activities to hear what Carter had said.  
  
"Nothing." Carter could sense Lukas stare on the back of his head and he decided that Dave deserved a chance. "I just said God forbid there are any kids on that train." Carter gritted his teeth as he lied hoping Dave would not see straight through him.  
  
"Oh" Dave absentmindedly replied as he continued to pile the medical equipment on the gurney in the back of the ambulance.  
  
Carter sighed relived that Dave had not spotted his cover up, he caught Lukas' eye. He was still wearing a look of disappointment at what Carter had said. 


	2. Part Two

Part Two  
  
It only took a few minutes in the high speed ambulance to get to the crash scene; Carter had instructed Dave to treat any minor cases that were already awaiting their arrival. He told him that it was important that he and Luka were not disturbed until they could assess the situation and work out who was in greatest need of help.  
  
Dave had nodded as he listened to Carters orders, happy to help in any way possible.  
  
"If you need any help or you're not sure of what to do at any time just come and find Carter or myself ok?" Luka was more willing to help Dave through his first proper expedition outside County.  
  
"Yeah sure" Dave had become quieter and quieter as they had approached the scene realising just how major this journey was going to be.  
  
The second they came to a halt Carter had leapt from the rig and sprinted over to the fire chief to get the bullet about the situation.  
  
Dave had made his way through a sea of injured people stopping as he went to reassure family members and assess injuries.  
  
He was shocked to the core at the picture before him; three of the carriages had overturned and were now lying on their side; bloody and bruised passengers escaping through smashed windows at every opportunity.  
  
The last three carriages had come to a halt under a brick bridge; the last of the upright carriages was embedded in the side of the bridge totally crushing the front segment of the carriage.  
  
The screams of hundreds of injured and trapped passengers drifted up and then vanished in the cold winter's air.  
  
"Please are you a doctor. Sir please help my daughter." A young woman in her late twenties called to Dave, noticing his bright fluorescent yellow jacket she was desperate for his help.  
  
"Hey sweetie did you hurt your head when you fell?" Dave questioned the little girl who was silenced in the awe of the accident.  
  
"No" Tears formed at the corners of her eyes as she looked from Dave to her mother.  
  
"Ok mam I think your daughter will be fine just take her up to one of the ambulances and when they can they will take her to hospital."  
  
"But she's bleeding can't you do something" The woman became hysterical at thought of Dave leaving.  
  
"She has superficial wounds; she will be fine I have people in need of urgent attention just do as I said." With that Dave left sensing the woman would cope better when forced with no intervention or help.  
  
"HELP! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP US! PLEASE I HAVE CHILDREN IN HERE! THERE ARE HURT! PLEASE!" A women's voice called out to Dave above the rest of cries.  
  
He leapt up on the side of the carriage and scrambled in through a broken window, falling heavily on his right side as he hit a seat on the way in.  
  
He was shocked at the sight that lay before him - a baby faced woman no older than him covered in blood and at least twenty scared, white faces peering out form the darkness. Each wore a dark blue shirt, many were ripped and blood stained, the boys were in black trousers the girls in pinafores.  
  
"Are you alright sir?" The women asked Dave as she helped him to his feet.  
  
"Yeah I'm fine what happened here are you all alright?" Dave was panicked by the number of children's faces looking at him.  
  
"We are from St. Mark's infant school we were on a field trip. I've done a head count we are all here but some of the kids are hurt. Please help us!" 


	3. Part Three

Part Three  
  
Dave was in a nightmare.  
  
What Carter had said in the ambulance had come true; there were children on the train and not just one or two scattered through out but a whole party travelling home.  
  
He had to think on his feet - Carter was attending to a trapped man who was near death and Luka was trying to deliver a baby by the tracks - he was alone for the first time.  
  
"Right, is anyone seriously hurt?" Dave snapped into action, he noticed the look of relief on the teacher's face as she realised she was no longer alone.  
  
"No I don't think so I mean their all pretty shaken and scared so their not making a lot of sense." the children's teacher began to ramble as the panic rose from within her once again.  
  
"Alright calm down. Hey listen to me!" Dave couldn't have her panicking she was the one person who could help and the only person who these children knew. "Everything going to be alright I'm going to get ALL of you out. Tell me your name and then we can start going through the children." Dave was impressed at his own calmness and control.  
  
"Siobhan.my names Siobhan."  
  
"Right Siobhan how many children were you travelling with." Dave got the feeling that keeping her busy would also keep her calm.  
  
"Twenty. Oh no wait Christopher had the dentist so nineteen."  
  
"Nineteen, ok take me round so we can do a head count then we can start passing the children out.."  
  
Dave was cut short as the carriage lurched forward throwing them together and down the train, the children screamed in fright.  
  
The tracks had buckled further along the line causing the carriages to be forced together, their carriage being the last one was thrown up into the air.  
  
"It's alright everyone just sit down and stay where you are." Dave called out as he removed the light casing from his feet; he turned and looked at Siobhan who was now lying unconscious beside him.  
  
"Siobhan.Siobhan.can you hear me.open your eyes!" Dave called desperately for the young woman to awake but nothing.  
  
"Miss.miss I think James is going to be sick..Miss." A little voice called out from the black behind Dave.  
  
Dave bit his lower lip, he turned to face the endless black; little white eyes peered at him from every corner.  
  
"Right everybody I'm a doctor and I'm going to help get you off this train. Can you all shout out your names one by one so that I can get to know you? Then were going to play a game, sound like fun? Yeah right I'll start my names Dave Malucci." There was a long pause of uncertainty.  
  
"Amber Weir." Came a little voice from the right hand side of Dave, "That's one at least" Dave thought to himself.  
  
"Megan Simpson."  
  
"Conner Daly"  
  
"Philip West"  
  
The names came thick and fast getting louder with each one said, Dave turned his main attention back to getting off the train but still keeping count of each name said.  
  
He stuck his head back out the window he climbed in, now several feet off the ground it was too far for him to jump never mind nineteen little children and an injured woman. He spotted two middle aged men making their way up the embankment toward the flashing lights over the mound.  
  
"HEY! HEY! YOU TWO I NEED SOME HELP HERE!" The men turned to look at Dave's blooded face and instantly came jogging back down the hill. "Thank God" Dave sighed everything will be fine now. 


	4. Part Four

Part Four  
  
Dave slowly explained the situation to the two men, sending one up the embankment at a lightening speed to collect a fireman with ladder and either Dr. Carter or Dr. Kovac, no one else Dave had stress this immensely.  
  
The other man left standing below Dave had stayed to catch the children that Dave was going to pass out through the window. Dave had made the decision that the least injured of the children must get out of the train before it moved again; he knew he was risking a lot but rather that than they die in this metal cage.  
  
"Denise Walker" The last name was called. but wait that was only eighteen or was it maybe that Dave had not heard a name while he was talking to his two new helpers.  
  
"Is that it? Anyone else." Dave waited for a moment but no reply came. He didn't have time to double check the number he would count again as he passed them out.  
  
"Ok time for the game I promised! Right." Dave was stuck he had chosen the word 'game' to catch the children's attention but now he had no idea how he was going to make this into a game.  
  
"We're all adventurers trapped in a witch's tower and the only way out is to jump into the arms of a Prince waiting outside." Finding level ground between a girl's fantasy and a boys was hard but Dave settled on this story line.  
  
"So who wants to go first?" Silence. "Ok how about you Denise you can have the pleasure of seeing what the Prince looks like first." Dave put on his widest grin and scooped up the fair haired girl before she had a chance to protest, he just needed one to go without any fuss and he was sure the rest would follow.  
  
Denise wiggled in his arms unwilling to be his guinea pig. "Please," he whispered, "it wont hurt I promise just be a brave girl for me."  
  
"Ok hear comes the first one. Are you ready?" Dave called above the ear splitting noise of the outside world which was such a stark contrast to the eerie silence inside the carriage.  
  
"Yeah sure thing Doc just lower her gently because she has a long way to gather speed."  
  
Dave couldn't help but laugh at the mans last statement, he gripped Denise's wrists tightly and leaned over the window edge until her weight was taken off him by the contact her feet made with the mans hands.  
  
"See Denise was brave, now she has met the Prince and is on her way home to tell her Mummy and Daddy all about her adventure." Dave's heart was lifted by the successful escape of the little girl if she could make it out they all could.  
  
"So Amber you're next, then Conner everyone else form a line behind Conner. There we go. Amber you have the pleasure of meeting the Prince lets go."  
  
Relief came over Dave as he watched Amber trot over to Denise and begin to chat happily he looked up, caught site of the runner he had sent returning with several firemen, a sturdy looking ladder and a very worried Luka.  
  
"Hey you're a bit late with that; we've found our own way down." His big child like grin returned as he pointed to the ladder.  
  
"Dave this is no time for jokes, are you alright? I told you not to wander off alone and now look at the mess you've gotten yourself into." Luka scolded but the relief was clear in his voice.  
  
"Hey if I didn't 'wander off' we won't even know these kids were here so just keep your comments to yourself." Dave was annoyed at Luka; he had done a good thing here why couldn't he give him a break.  
  
"Sorry but Carter and I thought something had happened to you. What's the situation up there?"  
  
"Seventeen kids no major injuries but the teacher is unconscious so I'll need a hand to get her out. Put the ladder up so I can get these kids out. The trains already moved once I don't want them getting hurt." Now Dave was not alone, the responsibility was not all his - he lost control and the panic he had buried deep down rose to the surface.  
  
"Dave, Dave listen to me you've down a great job so far just stay calm the train won't move again." Luka glanced awkwardly up the tracks at the tunnel which was now only supported by the roof of their carriage. The bricks were crumbling away he knew it wouldn't be long before they gave way, he couldn't let Dave see the situation he had to stay calm and in control. He just hoped that they got everyone out in time. 


	5. Part Five

Part Five  
  
"Right Dave all the kids are out and I'm going to come up with a paramedic to get the teacher out." Luka called above the noise of the area surrounding him as the last child scampered over to join her classmates.  
  
"OK Luka. Did you here that Siobhan helps on it's way? You're going to be alright."  
  
Siobhan could only whimper as the pain in her head flooded though her brain cells, she could only see blurs in front of her eyes and Dave's voice echoed through her ears.  
  
Luka's head appeared at the window as he struggled with the backboard; he looked at Dave and examined the blood dripping from his head. Dave noticed the concern in his eyes his heart was lifted slightly, someone cares for me and someone wants to know I'm alright.  
  
"Want a hand?" he grinned at Luka to reassure him but the look of worry remained.  
  
"Your head it's bleeding. Sit down and let me examine you."  
  
"Luka I'm fine really I just knock it on the way in."  
  
"DAVE SIT NOW!!" Luka forced Dave into the sitting position and tilted his head up toward the light while the paramedics lifted Siobhan onto the spinal board.  
  
"Is she OK? She hit her head pretty hard when the train moved."  
  
"She'll be fine but just remember you hit your head too. Does anywhere else hurt?"  
  
"Nah." Dave looked away as his ribs screamed in protest as he tried to stand. Why hadn't he noticed the pain before? Why did Luka stop him working so his body could have time to focus on the pain?  
  
"Dave don't lie to me." Luka exclaimed seeing Dave grimace as the wave of pain went through his body.  
  
"Well my ribs hurt a bit but I don't think they're crack or anything just bruised."  
  
"Come on then lets get you to County the guys will want to hear all about the hero's big adventure."  
  
Luka turned to leave with Dave trailing behind, he glanced from left to right surveying the carriage which could have taken so many lives. He was glad to be leaving, he would never forget the peering eyes from the dark but at least they all got out.  
  
Dave watched as Luka climbed down the ladder, he turned and placed his foot on the first rung.  
  
"Charlie Walker." A smal voice called from the dark abiss.  
  
Daves head rocketed up, he had heard it, he was sure a childs voice, then he remembered Siobhan saying there were nineteen but only eighteen names called.  
  
Oh no, no, no this cannot be happening.  
  
Luka could only watch in horror as Dave clambered back up into the death trap.  
  
"DAVE. What are you doing get down here. NOW"  
  
"I heard a voice. I heard a voice Luka someone is still in there."  
  
With that Dave disappeared back in to the carriage............... 


	6. Part Six

Part Six  
  
Apologies in advance for any misspelled Spanish words - it's not my strongest subject!  
  
"Hey sweetie what you doing in here? You're supposed to be outside with the others." Dave was trying so hard not to lose it, he felt like grabbing the child and throwing her out of the train.  
  
The child looked at Dave with her big brown eyes full of fear; she was petrified and needed reassurance.  
  
"Come on darling lets get you out of here." Dave extended his hand to the shaking form on the floor.  
  
Luka paced nervously back and forth outside the train "Why had Dave gone back, he had no reason too?" He cringed inwardly as the tunnel creaked and a few more bricks tumbled to the ground.  
  
"Luka what's going on?" Carter appeared next to Luka his face smeared with blood and his lips slightly blue from the cold night air.  
  
"Dave found a party of children in one of the carriages, he went in the teacher was hurt, we thought we got all the kids but Dave said he heard another one so he went back in and the tunnels coming down and" Luka stopped seeing the look of confusion on Carters face.  
  
"Dave is in THERE!" Luka screamed at the top of his voice as the bricks above them gave way and threw the carriage onto its side.  
  
Dave's skull contacted with the top of the seat and his body twisted in ways no body ever should. He wanted to scream in agony, he wanted to bring his arms into his body so that his wrists wouldn't snap but neither of these things happened. Everything happened so quickly.  
  
***********************************  
  
"Dave, Dave open your eyes for me. Come on buddy just a bit." Carter's voice was faint and Dave's head thumped in rhythm with his heart.  
  
"Dave please open your eyes. DAVE!" Now he was being shaken which made him hurt even more.  
  
"No. Dormir."  
  
"What did he say?" Carter questioned Luka.  
  
"I'm not sure. Dave I know you can hear me so open your eyes."  
  
He squeezed his hands into fists, he wouldn't give up..then it hit him the girl where was she.  
  
"Charlie. Charlie." He whispered, each breath causing him agony, they had to find her.  
  
"Its ok Dave we got her out she's going to be fine." Carter lied, Charlie had died a few minutes ago and her body still lay up the carriage. Luka shot him a look but Carter knew what would happen if he told Dave the truth, he would panic and hurt himself even more than he already was.  
  
"Dave listen to me you've lost a lot of blood, you have to stay still. But don't worry we're going to take you to the best hospital in America." Luka grinned hoping Dave spirit could be lifted with a joke and a smile.  
  
He knew they were talking, he could hear their voices but what they were saying he couldn't make out. He looked at the black above there was a burst of colour to his left then another to the right. it was fireworks. The same fireworks that had been shot into the November night when he was ten sitting in a blanket between his mother and father while his baby brother toddled around excited at finding his feet.  
  
"Allí bonito." Dave panted "Justo como yo recordar."  
  
Carter and Luka exchanged worried glances, Dave was hallucinating and they had no way to explain to him what was happening - they looked down as Dave continued to mumble in Spanish.  
  
The train creaked shifting the large piece of metal Dave was impaled on causing blood to spurt from the wound in his side. 


	7. Part Seven

Part Seven  
  
Carter and Luka stood back from Dave as the firemen tried to remove the piece of metal from the train; they had made the decision that it was to risky to move Dave from metal so they would remove the majority of the metal from the train.  
  
"He looks so pale." Carter could only murmur these words - the shock still sinking in. "Do you think he'll make it?"  
  
"You know the situation Carter; blunt head trauma, severe internal bleeding, punctured lung and possible spinal damage. He'll make it because he's a fighter but he'll never be the same." Luka sighed and returned to Dave's side to offer some comfort to his friend.  
  
Dave was trying to focus on the voices not the display above in the dark, he didn't know why but he just knew that it was wrong. Something was wrong with this situation he knew he was trapped in train seeing fireworks and speaking Spanish - the three things didn't exactly fit in his head.  
  
"Papá." Dave called out in confusion he had disappeared in his vision and that worried him.  
  
Luka's blurry face appeared in his line of vision he tried with all his remaining energy to concentrate on Luka he had to let him know what to do what to do when..IF he died. He was sure he would live but he wasn't one to tempt fate.  
  
"Hey there buddy, you still with us?" Luka took over from the paramedic holding Dave's oxygen mask, he looked into his usually sparkling eyes which now seemed lost and scared.  
  
"Luka?" Dave's voice was barley audible above the noise. "I want..you to..do something..for me." Dave's breathing was laboured and shallower with everyone he took.  
  
"You have..to call.." Dave began with painstaking accuracy.  
  
"Dave call whoever it is when we get to the hospital. I'm not doing anything for you because I know you and you're always shirking you responsibilities so no." Tough love was the way to go with Dave he had to think positively or he'd give up trying.  
  
"Luka..please..I want to see her..you have to tell her.."  
  
His eyes rolled back into his head, he began to shake violently so much so that Luka could barley hold him down and Carter heard the thudding from over by Charlie's body.  
  
"DAVE! DAVE!" Luka screamed above the racket. "CARTER GET HERE NOW!"  
  
Together they held his body down to stop the metal dislodging from Dave's side.  
  
"Pulse is weak and thready, BP's down, breathing shallow and faint and he's losing more blood" The young paramedic reported back to Luka.  
  
"We have to get him out of here NOW" Luka yelled as he pushed something into Dave's arm to control the seizure. 


	8. Part Eight

Part Eight  
  
"Carter, Luka and Dave have been gone a long time there can't be that many people left at the scene." Mark exclaimed looking around the packed ER.  
  
"We haven't had any new admits for a while - which is just as well - so they're probably just packing the equipment back up and then they'll start heading back." Kerry replied as the phone beside her began to ring.  
  
"ER Randi speaking. Yes.Ok..right hold on. Dr. Weaver its Carter he's calling on his cell from the site he says he needs to talk to you urgently."  
  
"Hmm that's strange" Weaver took the phone from Randi. "Carter what's wrong? WHAT? How? Ok when will you be here? Ok we'll be ready. Oh and Carter good luck." Kerry turned to face Mark as he stood puzzled at the conversation he had overheard.  
  
He observed the look of horror on her face. "Kerry what is it? What's happened?"  
  
"It's Dave there's been an accident." She stopped there pausing to let the shock sink in. "He was helping some kids out of the train when the tunnel collapsed and he was trapped. LISTEN UP! EVERYONE GATHER ROUND."  
  
The remaining staff left their patients and turned their attention to Kerry. "Right here's the situation Luka and Carter are bringing in an unconscious critical patient with blunt head trauma, internal bleeding, spinal damage and severe seizing. We have to prep a trauma room, someone get portable x-ray and ultrasound and I'll phone upstairs so they are ready for a head CT and MRI when he gets here." Kerry rambled on in doctor mode omitting the one piece of information that would change the staffs view off this patient.  
  
"So what's up with Dave don't tell me he's pulled another hero stunt and disappeared." Malik muttered causing a wave of laughter to surge through the small crowd.  
  
Mark's face dropped as Kerry held in the tears. "Actually it's Dave who's the patient."  
  
The laughter halted abruptly, their faces turned pale and stony at the news.  
  
Dr. Dave - THEIR Dr. Dave was this critical patient.  
  
He was being brought here to be saved or to die - from the sounds of it the latter.  
  
It was like Valentines Day all over again another friend depending on their skills to protect them from the one common and inevitable thing in everyone's life;  
  
DEATH 


	9. Part Nine

Part Nine  
  
They huddled together outside in the cold, not one of them spoke each was in their own little world preparing for the task ahead.  
  
It had taken Kerry a while to organise who should help with Dave and who should return to their normal duties. She knew that Carter and Luka should really be relieved and thoroughly checked but they would never leave Dave when he was so ill.  
  
She had instructed Jing-Mei, Mark and Cleo to keep the ER flowing with the help of Chuny, Haleh and Yosh while she, Luka, Carter, Abby and Romano dealt with Dave.  
  
She felt her heart twinge as she watched Jing-Mei take her patient into curtain three, she had been so eager to help but Kerry had advised against it, she was too close to Dave to be impartial.  
  
Inside Trauma Two lay prepped for his arrival and as the sirens grew closer the atmosphere became tenser. Kerry as head of the trauma team knew she had to say something - just enough to get them in a working frame of mind. "Right I know we're all on edge this patient is a friend and colleague but we have to stay focused on the task ahead."  
  
The ambulance headlights came into view and in a flash Carter's head appeared at the back door of the rig. "Twenty-eight-year old male intubated at the scene head injuries started seizing in the train but it's under control now, fractured ribs and decreased breath sounds on the left he's been unconscious throughout. It looks like the metal has caused internal bleeding but can't tell from where as we can't get a clear view. Where are we going?"  
  
Carters question brought and abrupt end to the bullet about Dave's condition because he had just realised he was running through the ER with no idea where he was going.  
  
"Trauma Two." Abby snapped, swiftly taking over bagging Dave.  
  
" Let's get some type specific." Luka said as they entered the room. "OK on my count. Nice and easy.1.2.3."  
  
"Get a line in, he's punctured his lung."  
  
"Have that ultrasound ready I want to see what I'm dealing with before I take him up to surgery." Romano barked.  
  
"Chest tube's in." Carter said as he moved back surveying his friend's broken body.  
  
"Heart beat is low 3 of Atropine....Too late he's in V-Fib"  
  
"Damn it," Kerry said as she reached for the paddles, "Charging 200... Clear" she yelled.  
  
"Nothing" Abby replied  
  
"Again, 300.....Clear." 


	10. Part Ten

Part Ten  
  
*An extremely short chapter for which I apologise but I have been rushed off my feet with exams and this is as much as I have got done. Thought I better post so you lot still know that I'm alive. Enjoy.*  
  
"Excuse me I was wondering if I could possibly talk to that nice doctor who was on the train with us. I would really like to thank him for all his help." Siobhan panted from behind her oxy-vivor.  
  
"Which one do you mean honey?" Haleh tried to be helpful but at the back of her mind was a continual nagging thought of Dave laying on a mortuary slab a few floors below her.  
  
"I...I can't remember his name. He was young, dark hair..." she tailed off her head swam with the commotion of the days events.  
  
"Emm that just about describes all of our doctors' darling can you be more specific?"  
  
"He was quite tall, well built you know muscular he had tanned skin..." she knew from Haleh's face that something was terrible wrong.  
  
"Dave you mean Dave. He...well he..." she couldn't bring herself to say the words.  
  
"Oh God he died didn't he. He died trying to save our lives." She began to pant heavily and the thought of Dave's dead body entered her thoughts too.  
  
"I'm afraid so. He had massive injuries we tried everything but he just couldn't be saved." Tears welled in both their eyes; each had very different memories of Dr. Dave Malucci. Haleh imagined his dopey grin and practical jokes which got on everyone's nerves while Siobhan saw her hero, the man who had lost his own life to save hers.  
  
"This may seem odd but I'd still like to see him, still say thanks. Would that be possible?"  
  
"Sure honey I'll just go make sure no one else is in with him...Dave had a lot of friends here." 


	11. Part Eleven

Part Eleven  
  
"I can't believe he's gone, I mean really gone." Abby rambled aimlessly from her corner in the lounge.  
  
Luka and Carter sat beside one another on the grubby old couch each lost in their own word neither of them having uttered a word since Kerry called time of death. The image of Dave's cold lifeless body now only a hollow shell which had carried a man they had never really truly known haunted their minds.  
  
"Randi contacted his sister in New Jersey she'll be here as soon as she can catch a flight out. She said she would call any other family that needed to be notified." Kerry tried without success to rouse a response from the shaking forms on the settee.  
  
The noise that normally gripped the hospital so tightly had ceased as if it knew one of its own had been lost.  
  
Each and every inch of the hospital paying its own respects to Dr. Dave Malucci.  
  
The silence was broken by the mumblings of Luka, "He asked me to call someone. On the train before he...before he..." the words were there on the tip of his tongue but his brain refused to let them be spoken as if he could make it not true by not admitting it. "He said he wanted her to know something...had something to say to her..." The feelings of sorrow transferring to anger "He wanted me to tell her in case he... Why didn't I listen? Why did I have to be the big shot he knew what was happening tried to tie up lose ends but no I stopped him. What if it was important I mean really important and I let him...without listening to him..." Luka paced around the room like a caged animal looking desperately for something to hurl in rage.  
  
"You have to say it Luka. Tell me what happened to Dave. What's Dave?" Kerry pressured him to admit it, to let himself here it to let them all hear it.  
  
"NO...I can't...if I don't say it then it won't be true..."  
  
"But it is true Luka. What happened to Dave?"  
  
"He...he...HE'S DEAD ARE YOU HAPPY DID YOU LIKE HEARING IT YOU SADIST HE'S DEAD." Luka slid defeated down the wall and began to sob uncontrollable "He's dead."  
  
With that the cold night air that had held its noise in, erupted with tortured sobs as the ER staff let the world know they were in pain. 


	12. Part Twelve

Part Twelve  
  
A young girl approached the admit desk her eyes where inquisitive, taking in every inch of the ER with interest, but they also showed she had been crying. Randi had been watching her for over half an hour pacing back and forth she was very attractive with dark hair flowing neatly down her back. She had rich olive skin and looked like she worked out regularly beneath her oversized jumper and sweat pants.  
  
"Excuse me I was wondering if you could help me?" She spoke politely and with a slight accent waiting patiently for Randi to give her full attention before continuing. "I'm looking for a Dr. Weaver could you point her out to me."  
  
"Dr. Weaver is a very busy women can I ask what it is you want to see her for." Randi knew she would get into trouble for prying into a relatives personal life but Kerry had been through enough today.  
  
"Emm...my brother he....a women called..." the young girl began to sob with each word she said; unable to complete her sentence she reached into her bag and withdrew a photograph. Shaking she outstretched her hand allowing Randi to view the private gateway into her life.  
  
"Oh God...I'm sorry you're...you're..." Horrified at the sight which meet her Randi automatically apologised for her reaction, for the girl's loss and for the time she had allowed her pace outside alone.  
  
She should have known from the outset; this girl resembled him closely the tanned skin, the dark hair and maybe one day Randi would see that famous smile.  
  
Stood before her was a broken figure – Lorena Malucci, Dave's sister.  
  
Studying the photo carefully Randi was meet by five gleaming white Malucci smiles, three boys and two girls stared directly back at her all laughing and joking in the summer sun. Dave stood in the back arm in arm with, what Randi assumed where, his two brothers while Lorena and another girl sat in front laughing at their brothers antics.  
  
Delicately turning over the photo Randi found a message scrawled along the top right hand corner, recognising the handwriting immediately as Dave's she began to read without hesitation:  
  
'The Walled Garden 1988 – Antonio, Dave, Chris, Lorena and Maria. Remember the good times little sis...remember him always.' 


End file.
